Posts Tagged ‘kids’
Monday, March 28th, 2011
The State of Our Children’s Diet
Every mother has said, “Eat your vegetables,” to her child at some point. As it turns out, mother always knows best. A poor diet, be it too little, too much or the wrong balance of food, can increase our children’s risks of many diseases and illnesses that can become debilitating and life-threatening. A new small study suggests that obese teenagers are at an increased risk for inflammation, insulin resistance (a precursor to diabetes), and oxidative stress (which can lead to blood vessel damage). These metabolic abnormalities suggest that the process of developing heart disease has already started in these children, making it critical for them to make definitive lifestyle and diet changes.
The researchers in the study compared the diets of 33 young obese people (aged 11 to 19 years) to 19 people in the same age group who were of normal weight.) Unsurprisingly, teens in both groups weren’t getting proper nutrition because they didn’t eat enough fruits, vegetables, fiber and dairy products, but the obese teens in particular consumed less dairy and fewer servings of fruit. Potassium and vitamins A, C and D — which are found in fortified dairy products and deeply colored fruits and vegetables — were all found to be lacking in the diets of the obese children.
Another recent study published in the Nov. 2010 online edition of Circulation suggests that children who eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may be able to help ward off atherosclerosis in adulthood, a precursor of heart disease. Kids who eat produce nearly every day develop more flexible arteries. Having arteries that resemble bendy straws is a good thing; stiff arteries make your heart work harder and blockages are more likely.
These studies provide insight into the early development of vascular disease and have important implications for prevention efforts in children.
If your kids are about as interested in broccoli and apples as in math homework (in other words, NOT), these parent-tested strategies can boost their produce quotient without a food fight:
–Eat them yourself. When parents eat their veggies, kids do, too. They’re hard-wired to mimic what you do — monkey-see-monkey-do still works.
–Keep on offering them. Pack red pepper strips or broccoli in lunches. Add sliced kiwi or a mango. If they come home untouched, don’t flip out. Just do it again and again. It can take 10 to 15 “introductions” for a youngster to try and like a new food.
–Invite a friend of your child’s over who likes veggies — your guy may model his behavior.
–Don’t force the issue. High-pressure tactics make dinnertime a downer, and can turn your child off to the Brussels sprouts you’ve finally learned to love.
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Tags: children, disease, fruits, heart, kids, obesity
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Friday, October 15th, 2010
There seems to be a number of contributing factors to the obesity epidemic our nation is facing. Some of these include excessive caloric intake, decreased physical activity and cultural influences. Now some researchers are investigating whether sleep deprivation may contribute to obesity.
Research presented at the International AC21 Research Festival points out that short sleep duration may lead to obesity through an increase of appetite via hormonal changes caused by the sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep can produce the hormone Ghrelin which can stimulate appetite and creates less Leptin which suppresses appetite.
Babies and children under the age of 5 getting less than 10 hours of sleep at night are more likely to be overweight or obese 5 years later. Insufficient sleep at night may be a lasting risk factor for obesity later in life (napping cannot replace the benefits of nighttime sleep). Babies and children up to age 4 who didn’t sleep enough at night were 80% more likely to be obese 5 years later. In older children (5-13) this same link to obesity was not seen.
As for kids, studies show that most are not getting enough sleep. There is an epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity and video games and fast food are not solely to blame. Researchers uncovered that shortened sleep in children under 5 years old predicts weight problems later on. Also, short nighttime sleep duration increases the risk of early teens to shift from normal weight to overweight. In other words, adolescents who sleep less are more likely to pile on the pounds.
Sleep disorders in young children may be avoided by following established bedtime routines. Begin the calming down process at dinnertime. Dinner should not be served watching T.V. every night. After dinner, allow the child to have some quiet playtime. Offer puzzles, blocks or books ( as long as the activity is relatively quiet ). Run a warm bath and allow for some playtime in the bath. After the bath, get your child in a routine of getting their pajamas on, brushing their teeth and cleaning up. Put your child into bed with a few books ( or feel free to join in this time ). Set a limit and have some relaxing reading time before bed. Have the books seem like a special treat every night which will also help develop a love of reading. Most importantly, be firm with the bedtime routine. The less you deviate from it the easier it will become. This lets your child know what to expect each night. Repetition for young children especially, can be extremely comforting.
Many teen’s hectic schedules keep them up late many nights. Most teens need at least 8.5 hours of sleep. However, studies show 85% of teens are getting less than 8 hours every night. This sleep deficit causes many problems including adverse effects on their health causing weight gain. Some ways to prevent sleep disorders may be to avoid caffienated beverages after lunchtime and limit stimulating activities before bedtime. Also, limiting extracurricular activities and practicing relaxation techniques before bedtime such as gentle stretches help prevent symptoms of insomnia ( Resource-Mayo Clinic 2007).
So, are we overweight because we sleep less, or do we sleep less because we are overweight? Until we know these answers, it makes sense to include a good night’s sleep in any child’s routine. It turns out getting good, regular sleep may help to eat more regular meals which can be associated with better weight control. We should avoid using food as a “pick-me-up” when it turns out, it’s really just sleep we need!
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Tags: bedtime, deprivation, kids, obesity, sleep
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Thursday, May 28th, 2009
Mothers continually struggle with trying to get their kids to eat more vegetables. The question arises, should moms sneak veggies into their children’s food? Or should they spend their energy convincing their kids to eat vegetables on their own?
It is clear to me that it is worth the extra effort to get your children to eat vegetables knowingly and willingly. Sure, you can spend your time mashing up carrots and chopping up spinach to sneak into your daughter’s pancakes. But what will happen five or ten years from now when she is living on her own? She won’t be used to the true taste of a veggie and she certainly won’t have the time (or patience) to julienne her own greens. Your victory will be short-lived.
You are much better off teaching your sons and daughters to enjoy the taste and the crunch of a vegetable. It may seem easier said than done but there are some strategies you can use to make the process easier.
1. Serve your child vegetables from the beginning and continue through toddlerhood.
Every baby is given vegetables as some of their first foods. But somehow, by the time a child is 2, his sole vegetable is usually potatoes in the form of french fries. Parents often stop serving vegetables because the child is too old for pureed veggies and too young to eat hard chunks of vegetables on his own without choking. Yet this is the most crucial time to serve your kids vegetables as snacks. Try steaming or microwaving vegetable chunks until they are soft and no longer a choking hazard. Be sure to serve all different types, including broccoli, carrots, zucchini and cauliflower. Half of your child’s mealtime plate should be vegetables.
2. Allow your children to see you enjoying vegetables.
If you crinkle your nose at the sight of a brussel sprout, it is likely your children will too. On the other hand, if you look forward to eating vegetables, your children will get the message that veggies are a healthy and delicious part of their diet.
3. Serve vegetables as its own course before the meal.
What mother hasn’t experienced her kids crying that they are STARVING while she is cooking dinner? This is a perfect opportunity to get your kids to eat their vegetables. Put out a plate of chopped veggies for your kids to pick on while you cook. When vegetables are the only option, kids are more likely to eat them. Give them another choice and they will often go with the less healthy version.
4. Serve vegetables in funny designs.
A bowl of zucchini may not seem fun but place the zucchini on a plate in the shape of a smiley face and suddenly eating it becomes a game. Presentation can make a big difference. Plate the vegetables in different shapes and your children may enjoy eating them more!
5. Serve vegetable soup.
Most kids love a bowl of vegetable soup, particularly on a cold day. When you are having a particularly hard time getting your children to eat their veggies, throw them into a soup.
6. Take your kids shopping.
Take your children to the grocery store and spend some time in the produce aisle. Go through the types of vegetables with them so they know the different options. Allow your children to pick which special vegetable they want to try that week. Then, when you serve it, make a big deal that this is your child’s “Special Vegetable of the Week”.
7. Start a vegetable garden.
Even better than letting them choose a vegetable from the supermarket? Letting them pick one off the vine. Start a vegetable garden with your children so they can grow their own vegetables. Get them involved by allowing them to water and tend to the garden. Then when the vegetables are grown, have your kids pick them and help you prepare them for eating. The more invested your children are in the process, the more likely they are to eat the vegetables!
8. Serve vegetables with a healthy dip.
Everybody loves veggies with dip. The key, however, is picking a healthy dip. You are not helping your children by getting them to eat vegetables covered in full-fat ranch dressing. Rather, give them a small amount of light or fat-free dressing to dip. You can also try a small amount of heart-healthy guacamole or hummus. Remember, the idea is for your kids to eat vegetables with a little bit of dip- not dip with a little bit of vegetables!
9. Serve vegetable stir-fry.
A great dinner option is some type of protein (chicken, lean steak, or fish) with stir-fried vegetables. My kids love when I make chicken teriyaki (which is mostly veggies with small chunks of chicken). Sometimes I even add a few pineapple rings for extra sweetness!
10. My favorite way to serve my kids vegetables…
Anybody who has ever gone out to lunch with me and my family knows my ordering quirk. Instead of ordering french fries for my children, I order them sliced cucumber. Like french fries, they can be eaten with their hands and they have a nice crunch. Obviously they don’t taste the same as french fries but my kids enjoy them. My children know that unless it is a special occasion, french fries are not an option for them. It took awhile and there was definitely fighting and complaining in the beginning. But I held strong and they have learned to eat the cucumbers instead.
There are many ways to get your children to enjoy eating vegetables. You may have to get creative but in the end it is well worth it!
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Tags: child, children, diet, healthy, kids, nutrition, obesity, parenting, picky, picky eater, vegetables, weight, wellness
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Monday, May 11th, 2009
Nothing makes a child feel more grown up than going out to eat. Yet children, like adults, eat significantly more calories at restaurant meals than they do when eating at home. In fact, the children’s menu is often the least healthy section of a menu! Think about the typical children’s fare. Chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, pizza, hamburgers and hotdogs. And don’t forget the side dish that accompanies them all: french fries. To make it worse, most kids’ meals come with free dessert.
But eating out does not have to be a nutritional disaster. Follow these ten guidelines and your child can enjoy a restaurant meal without sacrificing good nutrition.
1. DO YOUR RESEARCH
Many fast food and restaurant chains post nutritional information on their websites. If you frequent a favorite chain and often choose certain menu items, be sure you look up the nutritional data online. You may be amazed by the calories, saturated fat and sodium in your favorite dish.
Going to a restaurant that doesn’t post their nutrition information online? You can still learn a lot from a simple web search. Go to www.calorie-count.com or www.calorieking.com and type in the name of the dish you usually order. These websites have average nutritional information for thousands of foods. Chances are, you will find what you are looking for.
2. READ THE MENU CAREFULLY
Make sure you know what you are ordering. Pay attention to the descriptions on the menu. Dishes labeled deep-fried, pan-fried, basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy are usually high in calories.
3. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPECIAL ORDER
Many menu items would be healthy if they were prepared differently. Small substitutions often lead to major calorie savings. Be sure to tell your waiter that you are trying to eat healthy. Most restaurants are happy to prepare your food the way you would like it.
Ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served with the sauce on the side. If your food is fried or cooked in oil or butter, ask to have it broiled or steamed. Some restaurants even have non-fat cooking spray in the kitchen! When I go to a restaurant, I always ask for “no butter, no oil, no mayo”. These ingredients are often stuck into dishes where you least expect them.
4. SKIP THE KID’S MENU
The kid’s menu is usually the least healthy section of the menu. I like to avoid it altogether. Many restaurants will allow you to choose ‘half-orders’ of dishes on the adult menu. If the restaurant doesn’t do half-orders, consider splitting a dish with your child. Which brings us to our next tip…
5. WATCH YOUR PORTIONS SIZES!
Watch portion size; share or bring leftovers home. At a typical restaurant, a single serving provides enough for at least two meals. Even children’s menu portions are overblown! To overcome this obstacle, take half of your meal home or divide the portion with a dining partner.
It is best to decide how much your child should eat as soon as the dish is served. How many times have you told yourself you would only eat half your dish and then sat at the table picking at the plate until it was finished? Kids do the same thing. When your child’s meal is served and is overflowing, ask the waiter for an extra plate. Place an appropriate portion on your child’s plate and hand the rest to the waiter to wrap up.
6. AVOID BUFFETS
Avoid buffets, even seemingly healthy ones like salad bars. You’ll likely overeat to get your money’s worth. If you do choose buffet dining, opt for fresh fruits, salads with low-fat or fat-free dressings, broiled entrees and steamed vegetables. Resist the temptation to go for seconds or wait at least 20 minutes after eating to make sure you’re still hungry before going back up to the buffet.
7. CHOOSE CALORIE-FREE BEVERAGES
Remember that soda and juice are both huge sources of hidden calories. Try switching to water with lemon or unsweetened iced tea.
8. EAT MINDFULLY
Encourage your kids to eat mindfully. Mindful eating means paying attention to what you eat and savoring each bite. Being mindful also means noticing when you are almost full and laying down your fork. Mindful eating relaxes you so you digest better and makes you feel more satisfied. Teach your children to really taste their food and pay attention to what they are eating.
9. SLOW DOWN!
If your children are shoveling their food into their mouths, they won’t be able to tell that they are full. It takes twenty minutes for your body to realize it is satisfied. Have them put their forks down between bites or take a sip of water between mouthfuls. If your kids finish their meals in less time and still feel hungry, ask them to wait. Once the full twenty minutes has passed, they will probably no longer feel hungry.
10. REMEMBER THE BIG PICTURE
Think of eating out in the context of your whole diet. If it is a special occasion or you know you want to order your favorite meal at a nice restaurant, cut back on your other meals that day. Moderation is always key, but planning ahead can help you relax and enjoy your dining out experience without sacrificing good nutrition or diet control.
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Tags: child, children, healthy dining out, healthy eating, healthy restaurant, kids, nutrition, obesity, overweight, restaurant, weight gain
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Monday, May 4th, 2009
Kids should be taught to eat a variety of foods from an early age. Children who are exposed to various foods during childhood are more likely to learn to enjoy those foods in adulthood, even if they don’t like them while they are young.
The mistake parents often make is giving up on a new food after just one trial. It typically takes at least six to eight exposures of a new food before children will accept it. Sometimes it can even take ten to fifteen trials before children develop a liking for a new food. Eating a variety of different foods ensures your children are getting all the nutrients they need to grow.
Tips to Introducing New Foods:
1. Lead by example. Try new foods yourself.
2. Don’t let your children know that you don’t like certain foods. If you tell your children that you hate broccoli, it is unlikely that they will give it a fair chance.
4. Institute Dr. Dolgoff’s “Two Bite Rule”. Children must try two bites of each new food they are served. If they don’t like the food, they do not have to eat the rest. However, they do need to eat two bites of it each time it is served. It is likely that with time, your children will learn to like it. It is advised to wait at least one week before serving the same food again.
4. Do not force feed your children. Two bites is all you should insist they eat.
5. Continue to encourage your child to try new foods, different tastes and textures.
6. Introduce new foods with a variety of other foods, such as a casserole or a stir-fry dish, which may disguise a particular taste they may not like.
7. Don’t expect children to eat all foods offered to them; encourage tastings at first.
8. Select foods that are healthy and are already varied, such as multi-grain breads or cereals.
9. Serve a variety of foods from an early age. For example, expose your toddler to fish (besides shellfish) early on so he develops a taste for it from the beginning.
10. If your child still does not like a particular food after twenty or more tastes, you may move on. Your child may truly dislike the food.
~Reminder~
• Parents decide on what foods will be eaten and when meals will be served.
• Serve meals at the same time every day, if possible, to create patterns.
• Eliminate distractions during meal times. Turn off the television and computer. All attention should be focused on the meal.
• Expect rejection to new foods; continue to try again.
Did You Know?
Children are much more sensitive than adults to four sensations: Sweet, Sour, Bitter, and Salty. Children have five times more taste buds than adults.
Exercise for this week:
Bring the kids to the supermarket for a special trip. Walk through the fruit and vegetable section and have them pick out a new fruit or a vegetable that looks fun and interesting, such as a mango, pomegranate, papaya, apricot, escarole, swiss chard or Chinese eggplant. Then go home and research together on how to prepare the food item of the week!
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Tags: child, children, diet, healthy, kids, nutrition, obesity, parenting, picky, picky eater, weight
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